VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto led the meeting on the implementation of micro-scale social restriction with leaders of 123 districts/muncipalities in Jakarta on Feb 16, 2021. ANTARA/HO-Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs/pri.

The government has extended the implementation of micro-scale public activity restriction (PPKM) in Java and Bali to the period of Feb 23-Mar 8, COVID-19 Handling and National Economic Recovery Committee (KPC-PEN) Chief Airlangga Hartarto stated.

"We announce the extension of PPKM, as it could address various criteria in curbing COVID-19 cases," Hartarto noted during a virtual press conference here on Saturday.

Within a week of having imposed micro-scale PPKM, the number of active COVID-19 cases significantly reduced by 17.27 percent nationwide.

A declining trend was also recorded in the five provinces of Jakarta, Banten, West Java, Yogyakarta, and East Java.

"The bed occupancy ratio (BOR) trend has also declined, with all provinces having recorded a BOR trend of up to 70 percent," he pointed out.The recovery rate rose in the five provinces of Jakarta, Banten, West Java, Yogyakarta, and East Java, while the mortality rate declined in three provinces: Jakarta, West Java, and Bali.

Adherence to health protocols in all provinces increased, from 87.64 to 88.73 percent.

"In general, the implementation of social restrictions and micro-scale social restrictions curbed the number of active (COVID-19) cases, and it also showed a significant decline," Hartarto stated.

The government had earlier imposed PPKM on January 11-25 and extended it to February 8 in Java and Bali regions. It then imposed the micro-scale PPKM on February 9-22//ANT